AFTER two years of no events, about 120 pupils at a top York school got to show off their skills at a music showcase.

Huntington School's music department’s ‘Live Lounge’ is a longstanding favourite amongst students, families and friends and, after a two year forced ‘Covid break', the event returned.

It came into being more than a decade ago in an effort to break away from the traditional school concert format and this year - in front of a capacity audience of 300, there were four performance spaces: the Disco Lounge, the Jazz Lounge, Central Perk Lounge and the Interval Lounge.

In each venue, students presented 30-minute sets, and audiences moved from lounge to lounge sampling live performances from a range of ensembles, bands and choirs.

Each venue was brought to life for the occasion by student sound and lighting engineers, set builders and a front of house team.

Paula Edwards, PA to the senior leadership team, said: "It’s a well-oiled machine and we even have students coming back from university to join in the event.

"Back then ‘Live Lounge’ could be housed in the three music department classrooms.

"It was an instant hit with students, parents and friends and has now grown to such an extent, that it now fills the four largest spaces in the school.

"This year in each venue, musicians presented 30-minute sets of live music.

"In addition to Huntington’s current students taking part in the event, the music department team also welcomed back former students, who missed out on their final Live Lounges in 2020 and 2021 because of the pandemic.

"It’s a wonderful Huntington music tradition of growing an extended music ‘family’."

As previously reported by The Press, with about 1,526 pupils on roll, in February this year Huntington appointed a permanent new head after the retirement of John Tomsett.

Matt Smith, the former deputy head, was appointed as acting head teacher on a temporary basis and assumed the role from September 1 last year.

Mr Smith said: "I am delighted to have been appointed the new head teacher at Huntington School.

"It is an honour to have been given the task of leading this extraordinary community.

"I am really looking forward to working closely with staff, students, parents and governors to build on existing strengths and drive further school improvement."

Mr Smith's been teaching for 19 years, having taught at Millthorpe and Tadcaster Grammar Schools locally before coming to Huntington as head of maths in 2014 and becoming deputy head in 2017.